Aid cuts 'reduce credibility' on UN goals

Australia's $11.3 billion foreign aid cuts have compromised Australia's ability to have an authoritative voice in the debate on the next set of United Nations development goals, the opposition warns.

The United Nations is due to adopt sustainable development goals to replace the soon-to-be-expired millennium development goals at a conference in New York in late September.

Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek - who is seeking to attend the UN meeting - told a leadership conference at Australian National University she is concerned the new goals were too "diffuse".